Siblings Cassie Poland and Ollie Smith have taken over the running of Drusillas / Drusillas Zoo Park
Brother and sister team Cassie Poland and Ollie Smith have taken charge at Drusillas Park in Sussex, UK, after a childhood spent toddling around the theme park owned by their parents.
Smith and Poland have been appointed joint managing directors at Drusillas, which was acquired by their parents Laurence and Christine Smith in 1997. Cassie Poland started her career at Drusillas in the retail and warehouse team, then spent time in the education department, before heading up the marketing department for six years. When Christine Smith retired in December 2018, Poland assumed the role of joint deputy managing director.
“I feel privileged to be doing a job I love and am thankful I get to work closely with my family,” said Poland. “I’ve worked across many departments within the park and feel that’s given me a fantastic understanding of the business. I’m very excited about the future of Drusillas and will continue to work hard to ensure it remains a place where families can create magical fun-filled memories together.”
Ollie Smith first joined the team in 2009, working in the zoo, before joining the Playland team in 2010, returning from university to run the marketing department as maternity cover, and taking up directorship in 2020.
“It’s been fantastic to return to the park where I spent my childhood,” said Smith. “We have some very exciting plans in the pipeline.”
Resigning from his role as managing director, Laurence Smith said: “Since we reopened in May 2021, Cassie and Ollie have effectively been running Drusillas. My role has deliberately changed, and the next step is for me to give myself a new title of chair. They’ve done a great job in difficult circumstances over the last year. I’ll still be working on a part time basis – I don’t want the gold watch quite yet!”
Recent developments at Drusillas include the opening of sensory attraction Spark, renovation of the park’s under fives’ play area, migration to a new ticketing system, a new naturalistic animal enclosure, and the upcoming opening of The Rainforest Adventure attraction.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2022 issue 1
Editor's letter: Supersensory
With our growing insight into how to engage visitors’ more complex senses, it’s time for a new approach, says Magali Robathan
Immersive experiences: Joseph Wisne
Truly ambitious attractions providers need to push the boundaries of immersive design by engaging visitors’ senses of pain, danger, balance, justice and more, argues Roto’s CEO
Interview: Esther Dugdale
As the Burrell Collection relaunches and Eden Qingdao takes shape, Event’s creative director shares her tips for creating experiences that spark joy and curiosity
The arts: Room to grow
Could the space age, ultra flexible design of the new Taipei Performing Arts Center provide a model for future attractions spaces?
Museums: Ones to watch
From an AI museum built by robots to the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum, we take a look at some exciting 2022 openings
Research: All of history
As demand for growing honesty in relation to links to slavery and colonialism grows, should attractions be open about their history? Jon Young investigates
Opinion: Vince Kadlubek
Art engages and delights visitors. Kadlubek argues that attractions should embrace and support artists and look for shared initiatives
Waterparks: Waves of change
As The Wave inland surf lake announces plans to open six more sites, we go along for a surf and a sit down with CEO Craig Stoddart
Experience economy: Joe Pine
Experience platforms represent one of the biggest growth opportunities in today’s experience economy, argues Joe Pine. Here’s how to get them right
Interview: Cale Heit
With new themed coasters open at Motiongate Dubai and some intruiging projects underway, Forrec is making the most of the pent up demand for shared experiences. CEO Cale Heit tells us more
Siblings Cassie Poland and Ollie Smith have taken over the running of Drusillas / Drusillas Zoo Park
Brother and sister team Cassie Poland and Ollie Smith have taken charge at Drusillas Park in Sussex, UK, after a childhood spent toddling around the theme park owned by their parents.
Smith and Poland have been appointed joint managing directors at Drusillas, which was acquired by their parents Laurence and Christine Smith in 1997. Cassie Poland started her career at Drusillas in the retail and warehouse team, then spent time in the education department, before heading up the marketing department for six years. When Christine Smith retired in December 2018, Poland assumed the role of joint deputy managing director.
“I feel privileged to be doing a job I love and am thankful I get to work closely with my family,” said Poland. “I’ve worked across many departments within the park and feel that’s given me a fantastic understanding of the business. I’m very excited about the future of Drusillas and will continue to work hard to ensure it remains a place where families can create magical fun-filled memories together.”
Ollie Smith first joined the team in 2009, working in the zoo, before joining the Playland team in 2010, returning from university to run the marketing department as maternity cover, and taking up directorship in 2020.
“It’s been fantastic to return to the park where I spent my childhood,” said Smith. “We have some very exciting plans in the pipeline.”
Resigning from his role as managing director, Laurence Smith said: “Since we reopened in May 2021, Cassie and Ollie have effectively been running Drusillas. My role has deliberately changed, and the next step is for me to give myself a new title of chair. They’ve done a great job in difficult circumstances over the last year. I’ll still be working on a part time basis – I don’t want the gold watch quite yet!”
Recent developments at Drusillas include the opening of sensory attraction Spark, renovation of the park’s under fives’ play area, migration to a new ticketing system, a new naturalistic animal enclosure, and the upcoming opening of The Rainforest Adventure attraction.
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2022 issue 1
Editor's letter: Supersensory
With our growing insight into how to engage visitors’ more complex senses, it’s time for a new approach, says Magali Robathan
Immersive experiences: Joseph Wisne
Truly ambitious attractions providers need to push the boundaries of immersive design by engaging visitors’ senses of pain, danger, balance, justice and more, argues Roto’s CEO
Interview: Esther Dugdale
As the Burrell Collection relaunches and Eden Qingdao takes shape, Event’s creative director shares her tips for creating experiences that spark joy and curiosity
The arts: Room to grow
Could the space age, ultra flexible design of the new Taipei Performing Arts Center provide a model for future attractions spaces?
Museums: Ones to watch
From an AI museum built by robots to the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum, we take a look at some exciting 2022 openings
Research: All of history
As demand for growing honesty in relation to links to slavery and colonialism grows, should attractions be open about their history? Jon Young investigates
Opinion: Vince Kadlubek
Art engages and delights visitors. Kadlubek argues that attractions should embrace and support artists and look for shared initiatives
Waterparks: Waves of change
As The Wave inland surf lake announces plans to open six more sites, we go along for a surf and a sit down with CEO Craig Stoddart
Experience economy: Joe Pine
Experience platforms represent one of the biggest growth opportunities in today’s experience economy, argues Joe Pine. Here’s how to get them right
Interview: Cale Heit
With new themed coasters open at Motiongate Dubai and some intruiging projects underway, Forrec is making the most of the pent up demand for shared experiences. CEO Cale Heit tells us more
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger
cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance,
hospitality and public programming.
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
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